


Let's Talk Feelings

by starlightsongs



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, and seriously i think it'd be great if all of these characters could interact on their own level, for the purpose of tagging i suppose, i fricking love arisa and misaki as a brotp, i think they'd relate pretty well, there are a few curse words but not really enough to make it T-rated so just be mindful, tsugusayo and kasuari are mentioned only briefly but yknow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 12:58:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16811101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightsongs/pseuds/starlightsongs
Summary: Arisa, Misaki, Chisato, Sayo, and Ran didn't exactly plan on spending their afternoon sharing their deep feelings with each other.





	Let's Talk Feelings

“Not to come off as rude or anything, but I don’t quite have the time for this meeting today. I have an audition booking in thirty minutes, and I would really like to prepare for it,” Chisato sighed, staring at her watch, as she stretched out her fingers. There was a certain echo that hung in the air of the empty classroom, her polished voice ringing, piercing its density. 

“We’re _all_ busy, and none of us chose to be here. My plan? We pretend like we talk for the 15 minutes and then ditch,” Ran stated, her gaze pointed at the door, unmoving and firm in nature. She shifted uncomfortably in her folding chair, the sound of its legs squeaking harshly against the freshly mopped floor.

“That is a nice thought, but I’ve got rehearsal after this, and there’s no way my band will fall for it. I mean, Kasumi might, but Saaya…she’s sharp. She’ll see right through the lie…” Arisa muttered under her breath, a strong indicator of her personal discomfort.

“I still can’t believe they made us come here,” Arisa groaned.

“Me neither,” Ran, Chisato, and Sayo echoed in unison. They turned their attention towards Misaki, who had been keeping herself occupied with knitting a felt doll.

“What? They didn’t say we couldn’t bring anything…”

Project Let’s Talk Feelings, known as LTF for short, had been put into action by all of the girls’ respective bands – behind their backs, of course. The idea had been brought to the table by Kasumi: who had observed Arisa and Misaki teasing each other following a joint performance at CiRCLE.

_“You want to say ‘Yay, that was awesome!’ Don’t you?”  
_ _"E-excuse me?! Like hell I...er, that's not what I was going to say!”_

Kasumi Toyama knew right then and there: if Arisa wouldn’t show her feelings so easily to the band, then maybe she could at least start by being open with others similar to her. She proposed the idea to Poppin’ Party, who nodded in vigorous agreement and took it upon themselves to reach out to their friends in other bands, searching to see if they knew anyone who was similar. Rimi would talk to Eve, Saaya to Tomoe, Tae to Kanon, and Kasumi to Lisa. They would start off the conversation as normal before mentioning their love for Arisa, and how they’d hope she’d express their feelings with them more often.

 _“Oh, is that so? I kind of feel that way with Chisato sometimes. She’s a rather private person, and I hope that in the future she can open up to us a bit more…”_ Eve had noted.  
_“Ah, that’s quite the situation, isn’t it? You know, I’m always looking out for Ran…that girl sometimes gets herself into quite a bit of trouble, and I want her to really understand that we’re there for her,”_ Tomoe had remarked.  
_“I understand~ Misaki’s like that sometimes too. She talks to me pretty often, but I think she sometimes doesn’t know how to express her feelings to the rest of Hello, Happy! I know she cares a lot about them…”_ Kanon had pondered.  
_"Ahaha! Classic Arisa. I can’t help but make a connection to Sayo…I know she’s been wanting to strengthen her bond with Roselia and Hina…”_ Lisa had observed.

And just like that, boom. All of the bands were in to start LTF.

LTF was set to meet every Wednesday in an empty classroom following school. Each band had always had a rehearsal or meeting set on Wednesdays, so they would not get away with ditching their meeting early, and rather were _expected_ to be late, receiving punishment if they were early. This rule particularly didn’t make sense to Arisa, Chisato, and Sayo, who were always prompt with their arrivals. For some reason, they were also required to wear pink.

 _“Why do we have to wear pink though?”_ Ran had asked, annoyed.  
“ _Isn’t it easier just to wear our school uniforms?”_ Misaki had questioned.  
_“Don’t ask, apparently it was Aya’s idea. Some kind of movie reference, I believe.”_ Chisato had responded matter of factly.

“Let’s just get this over with so that we can all attend to our activities,” Chisato affirmed, prompting an eager nod from the others in the room.

“Agreed. So, feelings,” Sayo stated firmly. The room fell silent yet again, and no one exactly knew where to start.

“Would anyone like to go first?” Sayo asked again. No response.

“I feel… that this pink shirt is hideous…sorry, Himari, I know you meant well by lending this to me...” Ran stated, prompting a snicker from Arisa.

“…okay! That sounds like… a good start!” Chisato remarked, her voice sounding like one of a counsellor’s. Misaki sighed.

“Listen, I know the others meant well, but this all feels too formal. If to them we _supposedly_ have trouble expressing ourselves to them, why would they think it’d be so easy to do with each other?” She responded, shrugging as she continued to stitch away at her doll. Arisa narrowed her eyes from across the room.

“Misaki, who are you knitting that doll for anyway?”

Misaki raised her eyebrows.

“This? It’s for my sister,” Misaki stated matter-of-factly. Sayo, upon mention of the word “sister”, turned her head away from the center of the circle.

“Hey, Sayo, speaking of sisters, how are things with Hina?” Chisato asked, shifting her body to the other side of the chair in hopes to match Sayo’s gaze. Sayo turned her head back around, staring directly at Chisato.

“They’re fine. It’s the same as always,” She responded, no hints of emotion showing in her voice. Ran raised an eyebrow.

“Funny, that’s what I always say,” Ran noted, a small smile creeping upon her expression. Sayo’s expression remained unchanged.

“I mean, it’s just the truth. We get along, we’re sisters you know? We…” She paused, a small blush forming upon her face.

“…get along. I mean, I think we’ve been getting along a lot better lately? We just watched the new program about dogs together, and I recently showed her how to make cookies. I’m trying to patch up our tensions, all while working on finding my own guitar sound that doesn’t compare me to her…I can really appreciate her as my sister, and not see her as competition…” 

“I’m so glad you decided to share with us, Sayo” Chisato noted, expressing delight through again, playing the role of a counsellor. Sayo shot her a look of annoyance, which prompted Chisato to cough and change her demeanor to one that was more congruent with her genuine personality.

“My apologies, it’s just that Hina looks up so much to you…she really admires you and cares about you, Sayo - just the way you are. I hope you recognize that.”

Sayo nodded, accepting Chisato’s statement. She uttered a formal “thank you,” before turning her gaze towards the overhead clock. She had felt so uncomfortable in the setting and had wanted to get to rehearsal right away – anything to just focus in on the music and less on her personal feelings of insecurity. Yet still, she felt comforted by Chisato’s encouragement. Though she heard often of Hina’s admiration from Aya and Lisa, there was something to be said about it coming from someone whose thought process aligned more with hers: logical, sharp, and driven. Chisato was not someone who was particularly biased, and was someone able to view the situation in a lens that didn’t glorify Hina’s behaviors or made Sayo feel guilty for her feelings of inferiority. She was simply a witness who saw that Hina admired Sayo; not seeing her someone that needed to be better, but simply as her beloved twin sister. 

“Now, if you all don’t mind, I believe I’ve given plenty of input today. Professionals don’t exactly have the time for group therapy sessions, you know…” Chisato stated formally as she began to rise from her seat. Sayo frowned.

“Chisato, I don't exactly believe that was the deal. If I remember correctly, I think all of us are supposed to open up, not just me…” Sayo stated, her face flushed with lingering embarrassment. Chisato stopped, pondering the idea before sighing and sitting back down in her seat, arms crossed.

“Fine, I really don’t see how this would be helpful in my case, but you’re right: we should play by the rules” She admitted. Misaki paused her knitting project, packing it away in her bag.

“Chisato, you’re close with Kanon and Kaoru, no?”

Chisato rolled her eyes at mention of Kaoru’s name but proceeded to nod in confirmation.

“Yes, well, it’s refreshing how they see me as just myself: not as the beloved, famous child star, but as myself. A human being who can’t always be so professional,” Chisato admitted, her tone of voice changing as she continued to speak.

“It’s somewhere I really hope to be with the rest of Pastel☆Palettes someday too. Like, I know they care about me but I still feel that pressure to be the reliable and professional Chisato, you know? The one that doesn’t let them down…the one that can do it all. I’m prone to putting a lot of pressure on myself, and I feel that it’s hard to let them in…I just don’t want to let them down…”

Ran nodded from across from her.

“Yeah, it’s really hard having to live up to someone else’s expectations,” Ran commented, understanding the sentiment completely. She had to justify herself and her love of the band to her family in order to continue her passion, which often felt overwhelming in nature.

“Right? There’s just so much pressure…” Chisato agreed, her tone becoming passionate. She smiled slightly at Ran, who returned the expression.

“Hey, Ran,” Sayo called out. Ran shifted her attention.

“Speaking of pressure…I was…talking to Tsugumi the other day. She talks a lot about you and Afterglow, you know? She expressed concern about you…”

Ran’s facial expression changed to one of shock.

“Really? How come?”

“She told me that you ran off one day after practice. At first I thought she was maybe making a pun but…no, she was actually serious…”

Arisa, who had caught the pun immediately, chuckled in response. Sayo turned to her, appreciating that someone had understood the joke, before redirecting her attention back to Ran. 

“She told me that you had seemed anxious during the whole practice and wanted to know if you were okay.”

Ran nodded in understanding. She had remembered that day: she had to return home early that day to help in some of the flower arranging work for an upcoming cultural event. She thought she had informed the other members of the occasion, but perhaps it had slipped from her memory.

“Ah, yes. That’s Tsugu for you! As Moca likes to put it, she’s very Tsugurific in her caring nature. I’m sure she’s a great girlfriend,” Ran noted, causing Sayo to smile in affirmation. Ran continued.

“Anyways, yeah, you’re right – I probably should talk to them about that. My family has a huge flower arranging event coming up soon, and I had forgotten that I had to go home early for that. I’m pretty stressed about the whole occasion and I guess… I’ve just been trying to deal with it on my own, as to not worry the other members, you know?” Ran pondered to herself. Sayo nodded, noting her own tendency to try and deal with her problems on her own. Misaki additionally hummed in understanding.

“You don’t always have to carry your emotional burdens alone – in fact it can sometimes make the others worry more. Your band members care about you, Ran. They want you to talk to them more,” Misaki advised. Ran and Sayo both nodded, thanking Misaki for reminding them of this sentiment.

Suddenly, Arisa smirked, directing her gaze towards Misaki.

“Hm? Did I say something strange?” Misaki questioned, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“You’re one to talk about caring for your bandmates,” Arisa snickered.

“As if _you’re_ any less guilty,” Misaki retorted, smirking. Ran, Chisato, and Sayo all turned to each other, wondering if they had been missing out on something.

“T-that’s not true!” Arisa yelled out, defending herself. Misaki narrowed her eyes in doubt.

“Okay, fine! Maybe it is true, but I asked you first!” Arisa huffed, her face turning a shade of red. Misaki rolled her eyes but complied.

“Alright, alright~ I’ll admit it. I don’t express my love for Hello, Happy World! as much as I’d like to…it’s just…hard sometimes, you know?” She started, her eyes directed towards the floor.

“They’re always bustling with all of these happy, big, and bright ideas, and I feel like taking their attention away to listen to me kind of dampens the mood, you know? It constantly feels like we’re on separate wavelengths, hell, they never listen when I try to tell them that I’m Michelle! I know they appreciate me regardless but I just wonder if I can ever be fully honest with them…” Misaki vented, not truly realizing the extent of her frustration until she spoke the words aloud. Arisa’s expression changed, as she felt and understood Misaki’s struggle.

“Listen, you don’t have to think alike to be a valid member,” Arisa started, her tone softening from the aggressive one she had presented earlier.

“They may not understand that you’re Michelle, but they love both you and Michelle just as much. They’re thankful for your ability to translate their big ideas into actions, even if you don’t come up with so many on your own. Without you there to keep the band in check, you wouldn’t even be a band right now, so I’m sure they’d be happy to listen to anything you’d have to say,” She noted, observing the situation in a way that was objective but still offered support. Misaki blinked before tilting her head.

“You really think so?”

“Absolutely,” Arisa responded, grinning. Misaki smiled back.

“Okay, softie. Your turn.”

“H-huh? I am _not_ a softie!” Arisa exclaimed.

“Yes, you are!” The rest of the room called out.

“Shut up!” Arisa cried, her face turning tomato red.

“How did you know what to tell Misaki, then? The only way they could possibly be said is by the speaker having a similar experience,” Chisato observed, tilting her head. The situation had been quite entertaining to her, as Arisa often didn’t lose her cool as much around her. Arisa gulped and chuckled nervously to herself.

“Well…Being in PoPiPa has taught me a lot, I suppose. I didn’t have a lot of friends before joining the band, and I feel really validated when they support my ideas, even if I’m not so great at communicating with them, or I feel shy about the attention…I just…feel happy around them …” Arisa trailed off, twiddling with her fingers as her gaze strayed away from Chisato’s. Misaki chuckled.

“So, what you’re trying to say is that you’re thankful for and you care about Poppin’ Party, no?” Misaki asked, attempting to summarize Arisa's ideas.

“H-huh? What makes you say that? I-It’s not like that at all…” Arisa denied, blushing yet again. Misaki laughed, causing Arisa to sigh.

“Fine, you’re right. I’m…th-thankful for them and I…c-care about them...ugh…I’m trying to let go of the denial habit,” Arisa admitted, frustrated at her actions. The others smiled supportively in response.

“Well, it looks like you’re getting there,” Ran noted. The others nodded in agreement.

“Ugh…” Arisa stated, turning away.

“Anyways,” she coughed. “Can we put an end to this now?”

“I believe that would be appropriate,” Sayo agreed. Chisato confirmed that it was now 16:15: relieved that the meeting had ended right on time so that she could prepare for her audition. The others wished her luck on her audition, but also informed her not to stress over it and that she’d get other chances if it didn’t work out. After thanking them, she was the first to leave the room, causing everyone else to get up. The rest thanked each other for their time before leaving for rehearsals at CiRCLE. Ran and Sayo had discussed wanting to stop at Edogawa for new guitar strings and quickly headed out in fear that the store would close soon. Misaki and Arisa were left behind to chat for a little longer. 

“Huh, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be…” Misaki trailed off, zipping her backpack after securing her knitting project in place.

“Yeah, I suppose not…” Arisa echoed. Suddenly, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Slightly alarmed, she immediately went to pick it up. A text from Kasumi.

**_HEEEEY ARISAAAAAA! If you enjoyed your meeting today, make sure to let me know~ after all, it was the great Kasumi’s idea ;)_ **

Arisa rolled her eyes, rapidly typing her response away.

**_As if, you dumbass._ **

After she impulsively hit the send button, she couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of regret. She texted again.

**_*Dumbass who isn’t so dumb_ ~**

She smiled, as the follow up message had felt more accurate. She hit send again, chuckling at the response that followed.

**_Dumbass that isn’t dumb? Arisa… what does that even MEAN???_ **

“Sounds like someone’s happy,” Misaki noted. Arisa shook her head, still grinning.

“Nah, it’s just Kasumi being Kasumi,” She noted, putting her phone in her pocket. Misaki turned to face her, a smirk forming on her face.

“What now?”

“Arisa~”  
“ _What_?” Arisa asked again, scrunching her nose at her friend’s mischievous behavior. Misaki didn’t behave this way nearly as much with her other friends, so when she did it with Arisa, it annoyed her to no end.

“You like Kasumi,”  
“I mean, duh… she’s my friend.”  
“No, no. You _like_ her.”

Arisa’s face turned red, glaring at Misaki’s playful expression.

“As _if_ … y-you dumbass! It’s not like I wanna kiss her stupidly cute face or anything like that!”

Arisa quickly covered her mouth, embarrassed by what she had blurted. She just as quickly uncovered it again, knowing that it was just Misaki, not Kasumi, and that her friend was pretty good with keeping secrets. Though she hadn’t liked to admit it, today reaffirmed her wishes of wanting to be more open and honest with others, and perhaps the Let’s Talk Feelings club was a first step. She sighed at her defensive instincts and apologized. 

“Listen, I’ll get there someday…all of us members of LTF will, I suppose…” Arisa muttered to herself. Misaki smiled in response.

“Everything in moderation~” she commented cheerfully, as the two headed out to their respective band rehearsals.


End file.
